Preparation and structure of SiOCN fibres derived from cyclic silazane/poly-acrylic acid hybrid precursor

Ceramic matrix composite (CMC) materials have been considered a desired solution for lightweight and high-temperature applications. Simultaneously, among all different CMC reinforcements, polymer-derived ceramic (PDC) fibres have gained attention for the intrinsic thermal stability and mechanical strength with simple and cost-effective synthesis techniques. Here, carbon-rich SiOCN fibres were synthesized via hand-drawing and polymer pyrolysis of a hybrid precursor of 1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-1,3,5,7-tetravinylcyclotetrasilazane (TTCSZ) and poly-acrylic acid (PAA). The type of silazane reported in this work is considered as a major precursor for SiCN; however, it is unspinnable, due to its unfavourable physical properties (low viscosity) and chemical structure (cyclic rather than linear structure). The introduction of PAA to TTCSZ to create a hybrid precursor remarkably improved the spinnability of the silazane and should be widely applicable to other unspinnable PDC pre-ceramic polymers. Investigations on the structural and compositional development of the fibres were mainly conducted via Raman spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance and thermo-gravimetric analysis to determine spinnability, free carbon content, cross-linking and pyrolysis behaviour of the fibres, respectively.